Sunday, July 31, 2016

A decorated utility boxes commissioned by the Pittsfield Artscape Committee is located on North Street at the corner of Depot Street in downtown Pittsfield, MA.

Long Description:

The City of Pittsfield Artscape Committee has chosen the eight designs that are now painted on utility boxes throughout the downtown area. All he boxes were painted July 9th and 16th 2016 and were unveiled on July 21, 2016 during the Third Thursday street fair.

Stacey Healey has decorated this utility box called "Hands of Hope" with the help of children from the Gladys Allen Brigham Community Center. A multicolored array hands are traced and painted on three sides of this utility box. The hands are oriented in in all directions. If there is an overlap, the artist paints the overlapping areas in different colors than the overlapping hands. The south, meter, side remains unpainted.

Saturday, July 30, 2016

A painted utility box commissioned by the Pittsfield Artscape Committee is located at the west side of South Street, south of Park Square in Pittsfield, MA.

Long Description:

The City of Pittsfield Artscape Committee has chosen the eight designs that are now painted on utility boxes throughout the downtown area. All he boxes were painted July 9th and 16th 2016 and were unveiled on July 21, 2016 during the Third Thursday street fair.

The decorated facade of the Fukushima Daiichi Reactor Unit 1 in Fukushima, Japan is reproduced on this decorated utility box by Marcel Bove. Puffy white clouds rise in a blue sky rise and coalesce into a single larger cloud at the top. The lower right side of the front and the back is inscribed:

FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI REACTOR UNIT 1 DESIGNED AND BUILT BY GENERAL ELECTRICMARCEL BOVA 2016

General Electric was once the major employer in Pittsfield. When they left Pittsfield it devastated the economy and left the nearby Housatonic River severely and probably permanently polluted with PCB's. The Fukushima Daiichi Reactor Unit 1, famously melted down and released radiation into the air after the earthquake and tsunami of March 11, 2011.

Friday, July 29, 2016

A decorated utility boxes commissioned by the Pittsfield Artscape Committee is located on North Street and the corner of West Street in downtown Pittsfield, MA.

Long Description:

The City of Pittsfield Artscape Committee has chosen the eight designs that are now painted on utility boxes throughout the downtown area. All he boxes were painted July 9th and 16th 2016 and were unveiled on July 21, 2016 during the Third Thursday street fair.

Kyle Murray as decorated this utility box in the popular fantasy style with several bizarre creatures painted against a decorated black background. The street side has a large, yellow, phoenix-like raptor with a blue head within an amorphous, swirling, purple and brown frame. The sidewalk side contains a large T-rex-like creature. This time the swirling elements are pink on top and brown on the bottom. The north side has a gray alien-like creature with pink swirls at the top and gray at the bottom. The south, meter, side is mostly a continuation of the shapes on the front and back this time with gray with mostly replacing brown.

Thursday, July 28, 2016

A painted utility box commissioned by the Pittsfield Artscape Committee is located at the west side of Park Square on East Street, Route 9, in Pittsfield, MA.

Long Description:

The City of Pittsfield Artscape Committee has chosen the eight designs that are now painted on utility boxes throughout the downtown area. All he boxes were painted July 9th and 16th 2016 and were unveiled on July 21, 2016 during the Third Thursday street fair.

The Park Square Popcorn Wagon Annually an historic Popcorn Wagon is parked in downtown Pittsfield. A proceeds from the sale of popcorn re used by Goodwill to support job training. Artist Catarina Cowley's has reproduced the red Popcorn Wagon on this utility box with the title "Popcorn Please!".

The front of the utility box shows a young girl standing at the window of a wagon full of popcorn. Before her is a huge bucket of popcorn. The signs on the wagon read Fresh Hot Popcorn ¢10 and Soda Pop ¢5. The back of the wagon has the same two signs an the inscription Popcorn ¢10 on the back window. The sides have red and white stripes at the bottom and the images of popcorn above. The north side has sign identifying it as the PARK SQUARE - POPCORN WAGON

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

A decorated utility box commissioned by the Pittsfield Artscape Committee is located at the east side of Park Square on East Street, Route 9, in Pittsfield, MA.

Long Description:

The City of Pittsfield Artscape Committee has chosen the eight designs that are now painted on utility boxes throughout the downtown area. All he boxes were painted July 9th and 16th 2016 and were unveiled on July 21, 2016 during the Third Thursday street fair.

The painted utility box adjacent at the east side of Park Square called "Koi" was painted by artist Michael Carty. The front is painted with two multicolored koi. The top fish is higher up and offset to the right. Both fish wrap around to the south side of the box. The back of the box contains a single koi and a waterlily. The north side contains the meter and a single waterlily. The box has dark blue, green, yellow and purple curvy lines against a lighter blue background.

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

A painted utility box commissioned by the Pittsfield Artscape Committee is located at the southwest corner of the Berkshire Museum at 39 South Street, Pittsfield, MA.

Long Description:

The City of Pittsfield Artscape Committee has chosen the eight designs that are now painted on utility boxes throughout the downtown area. All he boxes were painted July 9th and 16th 2016 and were unveiled on July 21, 2016 during the Third Thursday street fair.

The painted utility box adjacent to the Berkshire Museum called "Don't Burst My Bubble" was painted by artist Megan Carberry. The utility box is painted a light blue on the front and sides. A second green box attached to the rear is left unpainted. The front has two panels. The left panel has the the silhouette of a young girl in right profile. She wears her hair in a ponytail and is wearing a dress. She is blowing soap bubbled into the air. The right panel contains the silhouette a young boy in left profile. He is reaching up with both hands towards the bubbles in the air.

Sunday, July 24, 2016

Wally the Stegosaurus is located outside the Berkshire Museum at 39 South Street in Pittsfield, MA

Long Description:

A life size, life-like and well travelled fiberglass statue of a stegosaurus, named Wally, prowls the grounds outside the Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield. The stegosaurus was a large, plant-eating dinosaur that roamed the western United States 150 million years ago during the Jurassic period.

Wally has greeted visitors to the Berkshire Museum since he was installed near the Museum entrance in October 1997. The fiberglass Stegosaurus was given to the museum by Carol and Tom McCann. He is 26 feet long, 12 feet tall, 7 feet wide, and weighs 1,200 pounds. A community-wide contest decided upon the name, Wally, after it became known that a Stegosaurus had a brain the size of a walnut.

Before coming to Pittsfield, Wally spent 30 years on the grounds of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Before that he went on tour around the United States. The first copy of Wally, made from the same mold, is on display at Dinosaur National Monument in Harper’s Corner, UT.

Friday, July 22, 2016

A mural in the You're The Mom series featuring Springfield resident Jacqueline Serrano is located on the Rutledge Avenue side of the building at 459-461 Main Street in Springfield, MA.

Long Description:

Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy has launched the ChildObesity180 "You're the Mom" campaign, that celebrates mothers for their important role in their family and community and to encourage mothers to make healthy food choices for their children.

As part of the program murals have been created by Boston artist Victor Quinonez, who goes by the professional name Marka27. This 10' high by 30' long mural has a mother as its central motif surrounded by flowers and geometric patterns against a black background. The mural bears the name and city of the mother and the inscription YOU'RE THE MOM. The lower left corner of the mural contains the URL address YOU'RE THE MOM.ORG and the message Use your mom-thority at mealtime.

Thursday, July 21, 2016

A mural in the You're The Mom series featuring Springfield resident Natalie Parrish is located on the Willard Avenue side of the building at 1072 State Street in Springfield, MA.

Long Description:

Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy has launched the ChildObesity180 "You're the Mom" campaign, that celebrates mothers for their important role in their family and community and to encourage mothers to make healthy food choices for their children.

As part of the program murals have been created by Boston artist Victor Quinonez, who goes by the professional name Marka27. This 10' high by 40' long mural has a mother as its central motif surrounded by flowers and geometric patterns against a black background. The mural bears the name and city of the mother and the inscription YOU'RE THE MOM. The lower left corner of the mural contains the URL address YOU'RE THE MOM.ORG and the message Use your mom-thority at mealtime.

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

A pair of painted utility boxes in support of the You're The Mom campaign to fight childhood obesity are located in Center Square Park on Main Street in Springfield, MA.

Long Description:

Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy has launched the ChildObesity180 "You're the Mom" campaign, that celebrates mothers for their important role in their family and community and to encourage mothers to make healthy food choices for their children.

Gina Beavers painted a utility box depicting two of the simple changes recommended by the You're the Mom campaign to create a healthier diet. The front contains the image of a half an orange and drops of water against a red background. According to the You're The Mom website, oranges could replace desserts and water should replace soda in a child's diet. The south side contains a tomato against a green background. it is recommended to add tomatoes to your child's sandwiches on what the website, q.v., calls tomato Tuesday. The rest of the utility box is painted with solid colors. The south side is painted red, the back is painted white and the top is painted blue. contains blue drops of water against a red background. Water is recommended to replace soda in you child's diet. The meter panel on the back is painted red and white and the top of the utility box is painted blue.

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

A pair of painted utility boxes in support of the You're The Mom campaign to fight childhood obesity are located in Center Square Park on Main Street in Springfield, MA.

Long Description:

Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy has launched the ChildObesity180 "You're the Mom" campaign, that celebrates mothers for their important role in their family and community and to encourage mothers to make healthy food choices for their children.

Gina Beavers painted a utility box with the You're The Mom message and examples of healthier food choices. The front contains the image of a strawberry and a green apple along with the white message: SMALL CHANGES IN YOUR KID'S EATING HABITS CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE against a blue background. The north side contains tomatoes, against a green background. Tomatoes, according to the You're The Mom website, should be added to your child's sandwiches on tomato Tuesday. The north side contains contains blue drops of water against a red background. Water is recommended to replace soda in you child's diet. The meter panel on the back is painted red and white and the top of the utility box is painted blue.

Saturday, July 16, 2016

Ann Corio (Iannucci) the "Queen of Burlesque" is interred in the Mausoleum of Mount Saint Benedict Cemetery in Bloomfield, CT.

Long Description:

Ann Corio is interred in a smaller vault, set above eye level, in Mount Saint Benedict Cemetery Mausoleum. The vault includes the family name of her third husband - Iannucci. The pink granite vault is simply inscribed:

ANN CORIO

IANNUCCI

1909 ✝ 1999

Description:

Ann Corio was born in Hartford, CT on November 29, 1909. She was one of twelve children born to Italian immigrants. She began her burlesque career in 1925 and performed with the Minsky's Burlesque in New York City, in the Howard Theater in Boston, and many other location other along the East Coast.

When New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia closed the burlesque houses in 1939, Ann Corio moved to Los Angeles where she was featured in five B movies from 1941 to 1944: Swamp Woman (1941), Jungle Siren (1942), The Sultan's Daughter (1943, Sarong Girl (1943), and Call of the Jungle (1944).

She returned to New York to work as an actress in summer stock plays during the 1950s. In 1962, she directed and starred in her own long-running off-Broadway play - This Was Burlesque - in the East Village in New York City. The play insured her fame by attracting busloads of women and tourists and achieving near cult status among college students.

Ann Corio died of pneumonia on March 1, 1999 in Englewood, NJ at age 89.

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

A painted utility box by graphic designer Peter O Zierlein is located on Pleasant Street in Northampton, MA near Union Station.

Long Description:

The image of a sweating cyclist wearing a helmet, sunglasses, and a cyclist jersey is framed by two trains. The entire work is done in blue, black, and accented with white to give the clear impression of speed. The box is signed on the street side by noted illustrator Peter O. Zierlein who goes by the name POZ.

Monday, July 4, 2016

A painted utility box on the southwest corner of Dwight Street and Harrison Avenue in Springfield, MA features fireworks over Springfield city landmarks.

Long Description:
Eighteen artists have been chosen by the Springfield Central Cultural District to paint and beautify electrical utility boxes in the downtown area of Springfield. The first boxes were painted on Monday May 23, 2016 and the program will continue throughout the month and beyond. Many of the paintings will be sponsored by local organizations and businesses. This painted utility box was sponsored by the Springfield Parking Authority.

Louise Padilla has created a decorated utility box featuring one of the premier events sponsored by the City of Springfield - the annual Fourth of July fireworks display along the Connecticut River. The utility box is painted a blue to represent the night sky. The street side show fireworks exploding over a line drawing of the historic Old First Church in downtown Springfield. The sides have fireworks over the Memorial Bridge over the Connecticut River. The sidewalk side shows fireworks exploding over a silhouette of the Springfield skyline. The top is filled with gold, five pointed stars.

Sunday, July 3, 2016

A painted utility box on the northwest corner of Main and Bridge Streets in Springfield, MA is painted with intricate repetitive patterns.

Long Description:

Eighteen artists have been chosen by the Springfield Central Cultural District to paint and beautify electrical utility boxes in the downtown area of Springfield. The first boxes were painted on Monday May 23, 2016 and the program will continue throughout the month and beyond. Many of the paintings will be sponsored by local organizations and businesses. This painted utility box was sponsored by the MassDevelopment.

Priya Nadkarni has used patterns used in traditional ikat art of India, Malaysia, and other countries around the world to decorate this utility box. The sidewalk side has variations of small, heart-shaped, figures of various colors painted against a chartreuse yellow background. The street side has a pattern of overlapping rounded pink crosses on a red background. Each cross has a single dot in its center. The sides have blue horizontal ovals on a white background.

About Me

My interest in travel and exploration took me to all 50 states, much of Canada, Europe, the Caribbean, as well as some of Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica and Mexico. As I got older my outdoor activities shifted from hiking to orienteering to geocaching to waymarking.